Indian jeweler Nirav Modi unveiled a stunning array of new high jewelry pieces for its debut at the Biennale des Antiquaires art and antiques fair in Paris. This year’s exit from the fair of powerhouse brands—Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, Chaumet, and Piaget—opened the door for lesser-known independent jewelers, such as Modi, to showcase their jewels under the glass and iron domes of the imposing Grand Palais.

An elaborate diamond and ruby necklace was among more than 100 pieces of jewelry shown by Nirav Modi at the 2016 Paris Biennale des Antiquaires.

“We have never done a multibrand event before,” says Modi, who presented more than 100 pieces in Paris, alongside de Grisogono, Boghossian, and Cindy Chao. “This is the perfect place to display our jewels, because you have all the world’s luxury connoisseurs here for art, for antiquities, and for jewelry.”

Luminescence earrings with cascading diamonds and pearls.

Modi, a third-generation diamantaire who also owns Firestar Diamond, was born in Mumbai and raised in the diamond-trading center of Antwerp, Belgium. Since opening his first store in India in 2014, Modi has become known for extravagant diamond jewels and four innovative proprietary diamond cuts: Jasmine, Endless, Ainra, and Mughal, all of which are evident in both his high-jewelry and standard collections.

Diamond water lilies float on a handcrafted mesh necklace set with more than 72 carats of diamonds complemented with an array of colored gemstones.

One intricate new high-jewelry necklace is a dense multilayered mesh of sparkling oval, pear, marquise, and round diamonds combined with varying shades of Paraíba tourmalines, pink diamonds, and emeralds and accented with three-dimensional diamond water lily blossoms. “The story is Monet, as literal as you can get,” explains Modi, who was captivated by a visit to the painter’s gardens at Giverny, France, which brought the artist’s Water Lilies canvases to life for the jeweler. “Much of the collection has been inspired by Monet’s Water Lilies, this is just taking it to another level.”

Art is a dominant source of inspiration for Modi, who grew up visiting museums in world capitals with his interior designer mother. As a prolific collector of contemporary Indian and Chinese art, he frequently references favorite works in his jewelry designs, which fuse Indian and Western influences.

Another standout at the Biennale is a ring set with an antique 7.10-carat fancy intense pink diamond in a shade that Modi refers to as “bubble-gum” pink. Significant colored diamonds were prominent throughout the display, from giant en tremblant cocktail rings to the Spring Necklace and Earring suite set with dozens of fancy colored pear-shaped diamonds in shades of blue, purple, pink, orange, yellow, and green.

A 26.48-carat cushion-cut Colombian emerald ring with more than six carats of diamonds set in 18-karat white gold.

Modi also displayed several large-scale emerald pieces, including an emerald ring set with a vivid 26.48-carat Colombian emerald cradled by four petals fashioned from graduated baguette-cut diamonds.

Imperial necklace with more than 96 carats of pale green Colombian emerald drops, diamonds, and sapphires.

Another multistrand Imperial necklace is adorned with more than 96 carats of pale green Colombian emerald drops hanging from strands of diamonds and sapphires. “The color is so pretty,” says Modi, who adds that the emerald drops were taken from an old piece of jewelry that was disassembled. “Normally when you think of emeralds, you think of grass-green Colombian emeralds. When I saw them, I just fell in love with the color.”

Nirav Modi's London boutique at 31 Old Bond Street marks its grand opening on September 19. (Photo: Andy Barnham)

On September 19, Modi will officially christen his latest boutique in London at 31 Old Bond Street. The French interior design firm Atelier Marika Chaumet conceived the interiors of the five-level townhouse with luxurious materials such as mother-of-pearl, sumptuous velvets, sparkling crystal, and luminous frosted glass. One level is dedicated to a Heritage Room that offers a tribute to Modi’s craftsmanship and creative inspirations.

The London boutique marks the brand’s first European store, following Mumbai, New Delhi, Hong Kong, and New York. “London is really a melting pot,” says Modi. “You have Middle Easterners, Indians, Russians, Americans, Europeans—London is a crossroads, probably more than any other city.” Later this month, Nirav Modi will open a Macau boutique, and as many as eight additional stores are slated to open next year.